Render Judgement will run the 151st Kentucky Derby in honor of his late owner, Toby Keith. His odds of winning have significantly increased over the last few days as country music fans rush to ride alongside Big Dog Daddy himself.
However, the horse is still a major long shot and he is currently dealing with injury.
Toby Keith, one of the biggest icons in country music history, was (and still is!) a big fan of horse racing. Unfortunately, he never got to see his dream of watching his horse run in the Kentucky Derby while still living. He will be looking down on Render Judgement on Saturday.
The horse is owned by Dream Walkin’ Farms, which was run by Keith from 2001 until he succumbed to his battle with stomach cancer in February 2024. Render Judgement is the first Kentucky Derby entrant for the Oklahoma-based operation. He will run out of the No. 15 position.
When betting odds first opened, Render Judgement was listed at 30/1. That number has since decreased. As of this writing, he is listed on the official Kentucky Derby website at 15/1. It at one point got as low as 12/1.
This recent movement comes as a bit of a surprise. Render Judgement was a late entrant into the field and he is not considered a favorite. Trainer Kenny McPeek said that it will be “deep water” for him to win.
To add to the challenge, Render Judgement is currently dealing with a quarter crack. He is still on track to run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday and will not be the first horse to race with the hoof issue, but it certainly does not help his chances of victory.
And yet, the bets continue to come in! Country music fans are choosing to believe in a higher power and will root for a remarkable upset to honor Toby Keith. It would be an incredible moment if Render Judgement is able to Place or Show. It would be a God moment if Render Judgement is able to win. Wouldn’t that be something?!